Life in Edmonton hospitals has changed dramatically as a result of COVID-19 but doctors say the facilities, which have been evolving with the pandemic, are safe for patients and ready to handle whatever comes their way.
Global News was given an inside look, through video provided by Alberta Health Services, of the inner workings of the Royal Alexandra Hospital for the first time since the pandemic started.
Dr. Neeja Bakshi, the division director of general internal medicine at the hospital, said staff first undergo screening to ensure they are symptom-free.
They then continuously wear masks inside the hospital and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when dealing with a patient with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19.
Bakshi said the shift to full PPE has become second nature for healthcare workers.
“It does definitely take longer to see patient. It takes longer to get through the day as well. I think from a safety perspective, we all feel much safer doing that process,” she said.
READ MORE: Alberta assures ample supply of PPE ahead of shipments to B.C., Quebec and Ontario
The hospital started a program called “dofficer,” where a worker is watched by a colleague to ensure he or she is properly donning and doffing their PPE.
“We all do PPE everyday but it can get exhausting, it can get tiring after the tenth, twelfth or thirteenth patient that you’ve seen,” Bakshi said.
“Are you still being as diligent as you were with the first patient? So having that extra set of eyes, that was a big piece of that protocol.”
Bakshi helped design the COVID unit at the hospital and said one of the biggest considerations was ensuring patients felt connected — not only to their healthcare providers, but also to their families.
“Some of the strategies we did as physicians is we did spend a little more time in those rooms, even though we were behind PPE. We spent a little time talking to patients,” Bakshi said.
“I remember talking to a particular patient about his story – how long he’s been married and how much he missed his wife – and even those five minutes made a big difference in just that mood for that moment.”
iPads have also been procured so patients have a way to video conference with their families and friends.
“We are constantly reaching out to family members. We are calling them multiple times a day if their loved one has COVID so we can give them that update, give them that little bit of reassurance.”
Some visitors are now able to visit their loved ones in hospital – but they first must be screened. Waiting areas have signs for physical distancing and there are reminders at elevators to limit occupancy.
READ MORE: New visitation guidelines coming for hospitals as Alberta sees just 7 new COVID-19 cases
Bakshi said there are mixed emotions now that some visitors are allowed at hospitals.
“We still need to have our guard up. We still have to make sure we’re taking all the necessary precautions both in and out of the hospital.”
Emergency rooms have been open during the pandemic; there have been urgent reminders from physicians to Albertans to use them if necessary, even during this health crisis.
RELATED: Medical professionals remind Albertans to take care of non-COVID-19-related health
“We definitely saw the slowdown in March and April where I think a lot of patients were really scared to come into the hospital,” Bakshi said.
Bakshi said healthcare workers were a little shell-shocked in March when the pandemic first started, but the mood has slowly shifted as the province moved into more phases of relaunch.
“We were very much prepared to answer to whatever we need to answer to. I think as time has gone on, we’re starting to understand COVID in general a bit more,” she said.
“With relaunch, there’s probably a little bit more anxiety for healthcare workers in terms of, ‘what is that going to look like in terms of hospitalizations, what is it going to look like in terms of numbers?’
“We want life to move on. We want things to return to normal but what does that actually look like for us inside the hospital?”
Bakshi said, personally, this pandemic has been exhausting and stressful.
“The world in modern times hasn’t really dealt with a pandemic of this nature. I think the constant rapid changing of guidelines and communication is probably tiring for everybody involved. But I think one of the biggest lessons physicians have probably learned is that idea of resilience and being able to adapt quickly,” Bakshi said.
“Things change and we don’t know much about this virus. We’re learning more and more about this virus and we have to be ready to adapt.”
BELOW: More photos from inside the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
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